White suggests combining your healthy diet with a combination of strength training and HIIT or steady-state cardio to achieve the slimmer waistline characteristic of the hourglass figure.
Eating for Your Hourglass Shape
The basic elements of a healthy diet are generally the same for everyone: eat a wide variety of non-starchy vegetables and modest amounts of fruit, whole grains and other high-fiber carbohydrates, healthy fats and lean protein.
An exercise program generally involves fat loss, but do not fear that you will lose your curves. There are strength exercises that will build muscle in the appropriate areas so you keep your hourglass shape and firm up your curves.
Endomorph. This somatotype usually has more body fat and muscle, smaller shoulders, shorter limbs, and larger bone structure. Think of football linemen, shot put throwers, or curvier women. You may gain weight easily, especially in your lower belly and hips, and find it harder to lose.
The ideal diet for an hourglass figure includes protein, which is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass; healthy fats, which help promote satiety and prevent cravings; and fiber-rich foods, which help keep you feeling full throughout the day.
Hourglass Shape
Weight gain tends to accumulate on the chest, arms, hips and bum rather than the abdomen. What does this mean for your health? Hourglass-shaped women are lucky in that weight distribution tends to be even, rather than accumulating in one particular area of the body.
The average height was 65 inches (5'5”) with a range of 60 inches (5') to 71 inches (5'11”). The average weight for the Hourglass category was 133 pounds with a range of 103 to 211 pounds. The body measurements used to define the Hourglass category were the bust, waist, and hips.
'You can, through exercise, work on specific areas of the body to give the illusion and symmetry of an hourglass body,' says PT Damien Coates, founder and owner of The Lean Body Project. 'You could do this by building up the lower body and glutes, whilst also working on defining the shoulders and back.
Contrary to the body shapes of most supermodels, the hourglass figure is more round and curvy, with a well-defined waistline, fuller hips and bust/chest and generous thighs.
The hemline should be no shorter than knee length. If you want to appear more curvaceous, add volume both to bust and hip through ruffles, embellishments or pockets. If you want to downplay your curves, look for a dress in dark colours or vertical stripes.
However, incorporating belly fat-burning foods into your diet may help reduce belly fat. These include fruits, pulses, fish, beans, almonds, green leafy vegetables, peanut butter, oatmeal, protein powder, whole grains, eggs, broccoli, and nuts.
While most women in their teens and early 20s define themselves as a neat hourglass shape, women in their 30s and 40s consider themselves as full hourglass and those in their 50s and 60s are most likely to be apple. 'Your body shape changes as you age, partly as women put on weight in different places,' said Jedinak.
Hip dips are common in most body shapes, including pear-shaped, hourglass, and athletic. However, they tend to be more noticeable in people with a curvier figure, such as those with wider hips and a smaller waist.
A true hourglass figure is fairly rare. Less than 10% of women come by the shape naturally. Much more common are the banana, apple, or pear shapes with the banana shape being the most common. With the banana shape the torso is fairly straight up and down.
Despite the cartoonish image we have, an hourglass bust can be on the less full side, she can carry weight in her abdomen, and her waist will likely thicken with age, menopause, childbirth, and other life changes. You can also be petite, but your PROPORTIONS will still be dramatic.
If you are an hourglass, you should first know you have the body shape that is most wished around women. But the thing is, having a specific body shape doesn't mean you don't have a tummy. It can be the same as other body types.
You Might Be Eating Too Little
This phenomenon is called “starvation mode,” and while your body isn't actually starving, it will naturally hold onto whatever calories it receives in an effort to help you maintain your energy balance.
As you lose weight, your body will also require more water to flush out extra toxins. Staying hydrated will keep you from retaining water as well, which will reduce any “fluffiness” in your abdomen. A general rule of thumb is to drink at least 64 ounces of water daily, but feel free to drink even more!
She explains, "Cardiovascular exercise is especially good at burning calories, and reducing fat is key to getting an hourglass figure." As for what kind of cardio to choose, Grainger suggests running, cycling, rowing, or walking briskly.